“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

﻿

- Dr. King

As many of you know, I spent the majority of last week in Atlanta, at the 2018 National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) Bienniel Conference. This gathering is intended to connect and offer resources to all kind of folks (heads, chaplains, trustees, teachers, rectors, administrators, etc.) from across the spectrum of the 1200+ Episcopal schools nationwide. It was a wonderful conference, and it provided me with many good ideas to inform my work not only as Head Chaplain at OES, but moreover as Rector of Ascension Parish. Of particular note was a rousing sermon from our Presiding Bishop, the Most Reverend Michael Curry. More to follow on that!

I will say that some of the most inspired moments for me came prior to the kickoff of the conference. That is because I had the chance to visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Park. For a remarkable few hours that first afternoon, I was blessed to sit on the front porch of the home where Dr. King was born, and kneel in a pew of the church (Ebenezer Baptist) were he preached, and stand quietly at the site where he and his beloved Coretta are laid to rest. Truly sacred ground, in my mind. Themes of courage and hope and peace and love are palaple across that park, and I am so grateful to have been there.

At one point in the church, I turned in the wrong direction (to my good fortune), and wound up downstairs. On the lower wall, there hangs a chronological portrait series of the senior pastors who have served there. You have probably seen similar galleries at other churches along the way. What struck me was that Dr. King was in the series. Importantly, his portrait was no larger or smaller than any other. There were preachers before him, and there were preachers after him. He was clearly part of a larger narrative, as are you and I.

So, I am reminded that all of us have good work to do, advancing Christ’s kingdom, with justice and dignity for all human beings. Some of our work may be noticed more than others. Some may demand more courage in the moment. But all is of value and importance.

Thank you for your good work. Hold tight to your courage, your hope, your peace, and most importantly, your love.

Twenty and a half pounds of soup. That’s how much we collected for the William Temple House in October. Luckily, they now pick it up for us so our WTH liaison, Karen Albaugh, didn’t even have to literally pick it up.

For November and into December, we are collecting outerwear (think coats, jackets, hats, gloves, warm socks, ski pants) to donate. Outerwear can be new or used as long as it’s cleaned. And since outerwear is lighter than soup, this would be a good time to fill the pockets with all those river rocks that you were going to remember exactly where you found them, that anvil collection that you just don’t use as much as you told yourself you would, or the soup you keep forgetting to bring in.

Look for the WTH blue barrel where the navy bin used to be. Thank you.

Like every good liturgical musician, I've been rehearsing Christmas music since October, and so has your hard-working Ascension choir. These dear folks give of their time and talent on a weekly basis, showing up an hour early(!) for 10:00 A.M. Mass so they can rehearse. I encourage you to support their hard work by planning to come to the special Advent Service of Lessons and Carols they're offering on
December 9 at 10:00 A.M.

This service will offer a moving walk through the season of Advent as we meditate on Scriptures foretelling the birth of Christ. We'll sing many carols of Advent together as a congregation, and also hear motets offered by our choir, in musical styles ranging from the Middle Ages to masterpieces of contemporary church music.

The choir will also be singing on
Christmas Eve at our9:00 P.M. Mass. On Christmas Eve, we'll move from Advent to the Incarnation, with carols, descants and motets centering around the birth of our Savior. I hope you can support our choir by coming to one or both services!

Many thanks to Laura Krum and the rest of our Hospitality Committee for putting together a beautiful Harvest Dinner which we all enjoyed last night! Thank you also to everyone who came, and brought delicious treats to share!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,

and His mercy endures forever.

Psalm 107:1

Thanksgiving Week Office Hours

This week, the office at Ascension will be closed on Thursday, November 22 and Friday, November 23 in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday. Feel free to stop by on Tuesday or Wednesday instead, or call ahead to make sure we're here to assist you!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Marilyn Portwood caught this lovely photo of two people who give so much in our Parish: our Senior Warden SuEllen Pommier and her dear husband Rod Pommier. It's also nice to see this cozy view of our Parlor with the fall colors outside!

Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Portland: St. Gabriel the Archangel. LouAnn Pickering, rector; Marianne Allison, assisting priest, Kevin Putnam; Roger Reynolds, deacon. PRAY we may share the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ and help each other on our spiritual journey to God.

Portland: Parish of St. John the Baptist. Robert Bryant, rector; Heather Wenrick, assistant rector; Christopher Laing, Stephen Norcross, David Olsen, Colin Williams, Jorn Müller, Raggs Ragan; Annette Rankin, deacon. PRAY that the Parish of St. John the Baptist may share the Good News of God, grow as Christian disciples, and respond to the needs of the world in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Collect for the 26th Sunday after Pentecost

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.